Our performance
We try to meet or exceed student expectations and value feedback on our performance. If you are happy with the service you have received, please let us know by passing on a compliment. If you are unhappy with the service you have received, please let us know using the many ways to “have your say” or by using our formal complaints procedure.
All feedback is treated seriously and appropriate action is taken. Students may choose to be represented or accompanied at any meeting.
The College’s 7 Ways to Have Your Say are:
- Course Representative meetings
- Surveys
- Student Union
- Student Governors
- Student Council representation
- Staff Star nomination
- Compliments and Complaints
Passing on a compliment
You can pass on a compliment to any member of staff by letter, email or by filling in a compliment form available from Reception. Details of the compliment will be forwarded to the relevant Directorate and presented to the Directors and the Principal.
To recognise a contribution by a particular member of staff:
Any member of staff at the College can be nominated for a College STAR Award at any time and the College will recognise its STARS on a monthly basis.
Nominations can be made by any College student or visitor to the College. You can nominate a member of staff for a STAR award by completing a nomination card which you can pick up from Reception.
To pass on a comment:
You can make a comment about your experience at College by using our “listening tree” at each College campus. The College monitors these comments frequently.
To make a complaint:
Issues are always best resolved informally. We usually expect you to try and resolve any complaints informally before using the Formal Complaints Procedure. If your complaint is about your course, you should tell your Tutor, Head of school and/or the relevant Assistant Principal. If you prefer you may wish to ask your curriculum area student representative to act on your behalf.
If you are not happy with the response you should take the following steps:
Complaints from Learners
The College endeavours to deliver high standards at all times to its learners. Learners may complain about any aspects of the College’s activities.
It is expected that day-to-day concerns will be resolved promptly and informally between a learner and his/her subject or personal tutor.
Step 1
When it is felt that an issue has not been resolved or is of a sufficiently serious nature, the learner should submit a formal complaint on the appropriate form to the relevant Head of School or by emailing customersatisfaction@stokecoll.ac.uk . All formal complaints are logged by the Quality Department.
Learners may approach Heads of School if they require assistance in formulating or writing their complaint or for any other support or guidance.
Step 2
The Quality Department will normally acknowledge the complaint within three working days of its receipt. It will then be forwarded to the appropriate manager for investigation. After investigating the complaint a response will normally be sent within 15 working days. If for any reason there is a delay in the response time then the learner will be advised.
Step 3
If the matter is not resolved to the satisfaction of the learner and he/she wishes to appeal, the complainant should contact the Quality Department in writing.
An appeal must be made within five days of receipt of the response to the complaint.
The appeal will normally be acknowledged within three working days of its receipt and will be referred to the Principal and CEO. After investigating the appeal a response will normally be sent within fifteen working days. If for any reason there is a delay in the response time the learner will be advised.
Step 4
If the College’s complaints procedure has been exhausted and the learner is still not satisfied he/she will be directed to the appropriate agency.
For Further Education Learners this is the Education and Skills Funding Agency.
The address for the ESFA is:-
Education and Skills Funding Agency
Cheylesmore House
Quinton Road
Coventry CV1 2WT
Complaints received by an external funding body or arbitration service (e.g. Education and Skills Funding Agency or Department for Work and Pensions) will be referred to the Chief Executive for investigation.
For Higher Education Students this is Staffordshire University
Learners on a course validated by Staffordshire University who remain dissatisfied may submit their complaint to the University: See forms below.
HE learners can contact the Office of the Independent Adjudicator (OIA):
Some aspects of the College’s work are also governed by the complaints procedures of other external organisations. In the case of awarding organisations, the examinations team will advise learners of the procedure to be followed.
The appropriate senior manager will investigate complaints relating to the personal conduct or actions of one of their managers. In the case of a complaint against the Principal, the matter will be directed to the Chair of the Corporation Board. Complaints about individual governors should be addressed in the first instance to the Clerk to the Corporation.
The College reserves the right not to investigate complaints considered to be vexatious or malicious. Where the College deems this to be the case, the complainant or appellant will be informed in writing.
Complaints may be made on behalf of learners by third parties, for example where a parent wishes to complain on behalf of their child or an employer wishes to complain on behalf of an employee. In such cases teh College will make contact with the learner to confirm that they are happy for the third party to complain on their behalf before logging and investigating the complaint.
External complaints
It is expected that day-to-day concerns will be resolved promptly and informally.
Step 1
Any person other than a member of staff or a learner, who is dissatisfied about any aspect of the College’s activities, should submit a formal complaint to the Quality Department in writing. The complaint will normally be acknowledged within three working days of receipt. It will then be forwarded to and investigated by the appropriate manager. After investigating the complaint a response will normally be sent within 15 working days. If for any reason there is a delay in the response time the complainant will be advised.
Step 2
If the matter is not resolved to the satisfaction of the complainant and he/she wishes to appeal, the complainant should contact the Quality Department in writing. An appeal must be made within five working days of receipt of the response to the complaint. The appeal will normally be acknowledged within three working days of its receipt. The Principal, or his/her nominee, will then investigate. After investigating the appeal a response will normally be sent within ten working days. If for any reason there is a delay in the response time the complainant will be advised.
Step 3
If the College’s complaints procedure has been exhausted and the complainant is still not satisfied they will be directed to the Education and Skills Funding Agency.
The appropriate senior manager will investigate complaints that relate to the personal conduct or actions of one of their managers. In the case of a complaint against the Principal, the matter will be directed to the Chair of the Corporation Board. Complaints about individual governors should be addressed in the first instance to the Clerk to the Corporation.
The College reserves the right not to investigate complaints considered to be vexatious or malicious. Where the College deems this to be the case, the complainant or appellant will be informed in writing.
Notes
A complaint must be made within 3 months of the event that gave rise to it.
Student rights are not affected by making a formal complaint. We are unable to take action on anonymous complaints, unless there are exceptional circumstances. Complaints found to be of a false nature may result in disciplinary action.
All complaints are monitored by the Principal and the Directors of the College.
Freedom of Information Act
Complaints relating to the Freedom of Information Act will be passed to the Principal. If your complaint relates to the Freedom of Information Act you should contact the Information Commissioner at the following address:
Information Commissioner’s Office
Wycliffe House
Water Labe
Wilmslow
Cheshire
SK9 5AF
http://ico.org.uk
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